Featured image: The announced cast and understudies of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Promotional headshot block supplied by Oil Lamp Theater through SHOUT Marketing & Media Relations.
At Oil Lamp Theater, Bedford Falls comes through a radio studio. The Glenview company will return to Joe Landry’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play November 20–December 27, marking the holiday production’s 13th year at the theater.
Becca Holloway directs the adaptation of Frank Capra’s film, staged as a broadcast in Oil Lamp’s fictional WBFR studio with live foley sound effects. The story follows George Bailey as he wishes he had never been born and an angel, Clarence, shows him what his absence would mean for the people around him.
The cast announcement names Ethan Smith as Jake Laurents, India Huy as Sally Applewhite, Adam Schulmerich as Freddie Filmore, Baxter Konstans as Harry “Jazzbo” Haywood and Julia Hope Budd as Lana Sherwood, with Anthony Augustine handling foley. Christopher Ratliff, Aly Mackenzie, Neil Figuracion, Payton Nesci, Katherine Abel and John N Williams are the announced understudies.
Holloway returns to the company where, according to her release biography, she made her directorial debut a decade ago. The design team includes Trenton Jones on scenery, Rachel D. Hemm on lighting, Taylor Pfenning on costumes and Elly Burke on props, with Anthony Doyle as stage manager.
Previews are Friday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 21 at 3 p.m.; opening night is November 21 at 7:30 p.m. The announced regular schedule includes Thursday and Friday evenings, Saturday matinees and evenings and Sunday matinees, with additional Wednesday performances. A December 9 performance at 7:30 p.m. will feature the understudies.
All performances take place at Oil Lamp’s current theater, 1723 Glenview Road. Preview tickets cost $30 and tickets for the regular run cost $55, according to the company’s announcement. The production page links to the current performance calendar and tickets; the box office is (847) 834-0738.
Keep exploring Chicago stages: more theater stories from Scapi.
For more Chicago arts and culture, subscribe to Scapi for new stories by email.
Be First to Comment